Jack Johnson

Presence of algae is one of the greatest potential problems you are likely to find in your pond. There are various species of algae. In the light of pond management, the types of algae are divided into suspended and filamentous. Suspended algae is primitive minute single-celled species that appears as an algal bloom in the pond to resemble pea soup.

On the other hand, filamentous algae come in kinds such as Blanketweed, Silkweed, and Mermaid’s hair. Read on to discover how to cope with algae in your garden pond.

Presence of algae in your pond does not mean that it’s unhealthy. However, it comes with considerable distress and ruining of your pond’s visual appeal.

Suspended algae create a very unpleasant bloom during the spring. It occurs mostly in temperate areas where the growth of higher plant life in winter becomes non-existent. The water in the pond becomes green as it warms up. Primitive unicellular algae appear immediately and continue to wreck more havoc until more developed plants take over.

Here’s the catch

As growth begins with the submerged plants utilizing the nutrients in the water, they have to compete with more primitive algae. The plants are more likely to decline to make the water become clear. During the year when green algae bloom, it disturbs the natural balance of your pond. If your pond is new, the aquatic plants will have less time to establish because of troublesome suspended algae. You have to be patient to give the plants time to get established. The pond will eventually clear if you strive to create a balance between the plants and fish.

How to handle algae in your pond

There is a high temptation to empty the water in your pond and refill it with fresh water. This can alleviate the algae from your pond for some time. However, after a few days, you are likely to come face to face with more algae after a short while. The fresh water from a tap has mineral salts than enrich the water for more algae growth. Changing the water in your pond will not make lasting results unless you properly balance the pond. A wonderful idea is to buy fountain for pond with aeration ability to protect your fish and manage the growth of algae in your pond.

Filamentous algae is very persistent and troublesome. It forms huge floating mats where the lower parts might begin to decompose because of lack of light. This creates an unpleasant smell and black mess in your pond. However, an aerator fountain helps to prevent accumulation of algae debris and foul smell from happening in your pond. The aerator regularly turns the water to allow free movement of oxygen from top to bottom.

There’s more

Installing a fountain in your pond is the ideal solution to keep algae at bay. It helps to mop up nutrients in the water and promotes the smooth flow of oxygen to sustain fish plus other aquatic life. Removal of excess nutrients from the water deprives algae of the opportunity of such plants from growing.